All Hallows Eve
by KitsuneGirl911
Summary: A childish dare ends up turning horrific. They are locked in a house with an angry spirit; and one by one they succumb to her evil will… These dead hold no secrets, but this one might be better well kept…
1. The Final Chapter Begins…

All Hallows Eve

Disclaimer: I don't own SK but I **do** own everything else.

Alex-Hernandez, this is for you!

Note: Wow, back from being ever-so-long inactive! I wrote this _ages_ ago but never really thought about posting it. It's not finished but I definitely will, I have everything planned out. I'm always open to feedback, though!

Chapter One:

_The Final Chapter Begins…_

* * *

It was a typical Halloween evening, complete with an air of creepiness. The pink and purple twilight was starless, yet it was lit by the full moon's eerie glow. Dead grasses and leaves were rustled by the wind, while the leaves that had already fallen were being blown around looking like small brown rats scurrying along the ground. This whole effect was helped by the dead tree which was home to a single owl. After all, when owls like that hooted, it meant someone was going to die…

But to the small group of teens (and one adult) it was simply a nice night to go out and catch a movie. Naturally, as it was Halloween night, they saw a horror film. However, it wasn't one filled with ghosts or demons, because that was just a little too close to shattering their reality. The fact that those things could easily happen wasn't something they liked to think about. So they had chosen one of the more randomly violent movies, and enjoyed themselves for a few hours. On their way home, they decide to take a different route than normal. The shamans slowly wandered down the street; each house they passed looked more and more decrepit. Finally, when the group turned the corner they were greeted by the sight of the worst looking house of them all. At one time it must have been quite the impressive home, but now, with broken shutters and cracked paint marring its exterior, it was a mere shadow of the past. Weeds choked the lawn and covered what once were gardens, giving everything a wild feel. As for the house itself, it had a distinct aura of uneasiness about it, which was more or less generated from its appearance. The group stared up at it in silent awe.

Now it could have been out of dislike for Faust, or Halloween spirit, but whatever it was, it made Ren do something that he normally would have reserved for Horohoro.

"Hey Faust, I dare you to go in there! It _could_ be haunted," There was a sneer in Ren's voice. "but it shouldn't matter, we're shamans, _right_?" Ren smiled coldly.

Faust was broken from his daze.

"What?"

"You heard what I said. Now are you in or out?" Ren gave him a look that said he would never be able to live it down if he backed out.

"In…" Faust sighed and started to cross the weed ridden yard.

"And don't forget to bring us back something good!" There were a few laughs at this.

He ignored them, plodding resolutely on. Upon reaching the door he tried the knob, immensely surprised to have it turn smoothly in his hand. It looked just as old as the rest of the house, and shouldn't it be locked? But it was no matter. He took one last look behind him, at all their smiling faces, and emboldened, stepped through the doorframe into the black abyss of the houses interior…

* * *

They had stood in the cold wind and waited… and waited. But Faust did not return from the house. And some of them were starting to get worried.

"What if something happened to him?" Tamao whispered, despite being afraid of him (it was just a feeling, that's all) she was still concerned for the kind doctor.

"Yeah, maybe we should go in and see if he's okay-" Ryu started, only to be cut off by Horohoro.

"Why? He's probably just lost. Or worse, he found something good, and is keeping it from us."

"Yeah, I bet he's enjoying keeping us out here in this cold." Ren shivered slightly, hoping no one noticed his 'weakness'. "You know what he's like, remember that journal we found?"

"Yeah… Man that was so twisted!" Horohoro chimed in.

This time their shivering wasn't from the cold. For a few weeks prior, they had found the journal that Faust wrote in while trying to find the solution for Eliza's death. It was filled with all sorts of devilry, evil markings, and malice for not only her murderer, but God himself. Not taking into mind the fact that they had found it in the trash, they saw it as a window into the way Faust was. Unfortunately, this journal was everything he was _against_ now. But they had no idea… And they were too afraid to ask.

"Okay, I'll admit it was a little…odd. There's really no word for that." Ryu admitted, nervously looking around, as if Faust had somehow heard him.

"Huh. I got one. 'Insane'. Plain and simple." Ren added, nodding in decision.

"Hey now, it wasn't that bad, he was just shaken up by his wife's death is all-"

"'Shaken up' my ass. He's crazy. Why do you bother looking for the good in him?"

"Well aren't we Mr. Negative." Ryu countered, starting to get a little annoyed.

"Whatever, I just hope he comes out soon." Ren pulled the collar of his jacket up to hide his miffed expression.

A sudden flash of lightning and Tamao jolted and screamed shrilly.

"Calm down, it's just lightning from the storm we're due tonight…" Anna admonished, surprisingly gently. But Tamao was not consoled so easily.

"No…" She said, pointing to something beyond their line of vision with a shaky finger. They turned around to see, but the night was too dark and whatever she was pointing at was too far up to be seen clearly.

"I can't see anything…" someone said, but it might as well have been all of them.

Tamao said nothing, her eyes rooted to the spot and her body quaking in little spasms of shock. Another burst of lightning and there-! They finally Saw what she had Seen with her terrified eyes.

And then a mighty crash of thunder rumbled through the air.

Faust hung there, strung up by his arms with what looked like barbed wire. The rest of his body dangled below him like some child's forgotten puppet. His head was lolling unpleasantly to one side, eyes wide and empty; emptier than was possible for one who was living.

A cacophony of screams rent through the night's darkness, the lightning and thunder accenting their fear.

"What the hell?" Ren yelled, not bothering to hide his alarm upon seeing Faust's desecrated corpse.

"Faust…" Ryu whispered, dismayed at having lost a good friend, unable to say or do anything else.

"I can't believe this!" Yoh shouted, eyes shut tightly to try and block the sight from his mind and memory.

Manta made inarticulate sounds of distress, regardless of his personal fear of the doctor; Faust was still a person, wasn't he? No one deserved _that_.

And Anna, cold, almost emotionless Anna… What of her? She had so far not said or done a thing. Not a scream, not a motion to turn away, she stood transfixed by Faust's gently swaying corpse. Ah! But now she fell to her knees, a lone tear streaming down her face.

"Anna…" Pirka started, unable to find any words to comfort her.

Horohoro felt sick. The very person they were condemning a mere few moments ago, _dead_. It was almost too much to comprehend. He put his hands to his head. If only this madness would stop; go away to someone else's life!

But it was here to stay and it would only continue to affect their lives...for the worse.


	2. Emma's Story

All Hallows Eve

Disclaimer: I don't own SK but I **do** own everything else.

Alex-Hernandez, this is for you!

Note: And more back-story into the horror! (Yes this important.)

Chapter Two:

_Emma's Story_

* * *

Emma was ten years old, the daughter of caring well-to-do parents: Clara and Charles. They lived in a large house, which had been freshly painted not more than a week ago, giving it a sophisticated, cheery air. It was an impressive home, and the envy of all the neighbors.

Now it came to pass that Clara met the mother of a girl named Emily, and although they came from different social standings, they became fast friends. They encouraged their daughters to do the same, and so on this pleasant Sunday afternoon, Emma and Emily were playing in the garden.

Emma (who always liked to be called 'Em') was a spoilt child despite her parents' best efforts. Emma was jealous of Emily's popularity with everyone she met due to her kindly disposition. Emma on the other hand was rather quiet and boorish in comparison. Emma was showing off her favorite new Sunday outfit, a white sundress with little blood red flowers on it. She accented the dress with a white straw hat and red Mary Janes. She liked to tilt the hat over her eyes, to conceal what she was thinking. And this was especially useful on this particular day… After all, how best to deal with jealousy, than to remove the competition?

"Come on Emily, I found something interesting yesterday, it's over this way!"

"Ooh, is it a frog? Oh tell me please!" Emma gave her best winning smile, but it still held some malice.

"No, I wouldn't want to ruin the… surprise. It's just over by the old well here." Emma pointed and led an eager Emily by her wrist. Upon arriving at the well, Emily craned her neck to see the 'surprise'.

"I don't see anything, where is it?"

"Oh, it's on the other side. If you can find it from here, I'll give it to you!" Emma had a dastardly plan in mind, and she executed it by tripping Emily just when she had leaned over the well. The well was old and dried out, but it was still a long way down. She was dead with a broken neck as soon as she hit the bottom. No one would suspect the daughter of such respectable parents, and the girl's best friend no less! And even if they did, no one could prove anything, she had both their feet hidden in the grass around the well when she cleverly tripped her, so no one would notice.

The funeral took place a week later, with exactly fifty-two friends and family in attendance. Emma was sickly content, yes, very much so. That is, until she looked at the sign-in book and saw the number. For a being such as she was, she knew she'd never have that many people at _her_ funeral. And that thought stuck in her brain, repeating an endless mantra: 'Never. Never. Never.' Well why not? She could have that many people on her side, even without having died! She mulled over this on the drive home, and all the night besides.

* * *

Charles and Clara sat down for their evening drink, enjoying the cool summer breeze.

"Here's to you m'dear."

Clara smiled before taking a sip.

Half an hour later, they began to feel lightheaded. Clara had drunk two glasses, Charles three glasses. Charles made an odd whining sound, before falling off his chair, blood leaking from his mouth. Clara tried to scream but found she couldn't, she was too astonished. She rushed to his side, feeling for a pulse, but before she could do anything to help, she too collapsed, slumping over her husband lifelessly.

When the police arrived, they had been dead an hour.

"Looks like lover's suicide… But what was their motive?"

No one could answer him.

Emma sat in a chair in the corner, hat tilted over her eyes, unable to hide her smile as well.

"Fifty-two. Fifty-two. Fifty-two." she kept muttering, over and over, as if it were all she was thinking. A policeman, seeing her smile, walked over to question her.

"Do you have any knowledge of your parents' deaths? We found no wounds, just blood, so we're guessing it was poison. So… do you?" Emma began rocking back and forth stopping with the muttering.

"Wouldn't you like to know? I killed her, _I_ killed her!"

"Who?"

"Emily." Emma paused, taking in his expression, grinning a wide rictus grin. "Clara. Charles. All of them."

"H-how?" She was just a fairly innocent ten-year-old, how could she do it? "What did you do to your parents? Was it in their drinks- Oh God!"

"It's arsenic you old fool! _Arsenic_!" Emma laughed then, coughing up a bit of blood in the process. All at once she went into horrific convulsions, much to everyone's shock. She was dead not five minutes later. She died with that same terrible grin on her face.

She was right.

She didn't have as many people at her funeral.

Thirteen.


	3. Page Three is Torn

All Hallows Eve

Disclaimer: I don't own SK but I **do** own everything else.

Alex-Hernandez, this is for you!

Note: Title is in keeping with the 'book' chapter name theme, and a running joke in SK. (hint)

Chapter Three:

_Page Three is Torn_

* * *

"Look, we have to do _something_!" Ryu was close to pulling out his hair in frustration, which was saying a lot. "We have a group now. Faust went in there alone…" he glanced pointedly at Ren. "And don't you think it wise to at least stop whoever or _what_ever did this?"

"That's what the police are for, Ryu."

"Not if it's a spirit." No one seemed inclined to look at him, staring at their feet or fidgeting hands, but never at Faust. "Whatever, I'll go without you."

"No!" several voices chorused.

"Oh? Does this mean you've changed your mind?"

"Perhaps."

"Yes."

"No."

With that sound indecision, the group set off across that same weedy yard that Faust had walked through not so long ago.

Unseen by all of them, the girl in the window turned away, tilting her hat over her eyes.

The stage was set.

* * *

They stepped cautiously inside, the house's interior just as decrepit and still impressive as its exterior. There was a thick layer of dust over everything; obviously no one took care of the house was still stately despite the outward appearance and the disuse, done in varying shades of gold, ebony, and burgundy. The candle holders were golden, the long tapered candles looking new despite their probable age, looking at them, one could well imagine what it did to the surrounding décor, though whether that was to highlight it or to make it unnerving with their flickering, no one could decide. All the portraits were the type that the occupants' eyes followed you no matter where you went, almost accusing in their subtle malice. The hearth was empty, cleaned out except for a small pile of ashes that were shifted around by the air filtering in from the chimney. Other than that, everything was strangely silent and suspiciously peaceful. This made it all the more obvious what happened next.

Behind them, the bolt slowly slid home, locking them in. They heard the click of said lock, and whipped around to see their escape path irrevocably barred.

"What the-? That was unlocked before!" Horohoro noticed, striding over to the door, first trying to unlock it, then trying to open it futilely.

"Great, we're trapped!"

"We could always break a window."

"True."

"But that would be disrespectful to the house, we can't have that." a hauntingly familiar voice added from behind them. There was a tense silence, no one wiling to turn around first. "Oh come now, you act like it's not everyday you see a ghost!" They were suddenly surprised to see Faust appear before them, in quite a shocking state.

Faust's arms were lacerated beyond belief, supposedly from the barbed wire, blood leaking from the wounds to drop to the floor… but it never hit. His eyes were wide, unblinking, all-knowing, and quite dead. Currently, he was staring at Ren expressionlessly, eyes devoid of emotion even more so than usual.

"Look, I'm sorry! I didn't know!" he shouted, more than a little unnerved by Faust's lifeless stare. Faust said nothing, floating there in complete stillness. Faust blinked slowly… once… twice.

"That doesn't matter to _me_ Ren. I quite enjoy being dead, I suppose."

"So you're not mad?" Ren paused, not wanting to ask the question burning in his mind, but needing to, "How did you die?"

"Oh. _That_. It was _horrible_. Absolutely _dreadful_." Everyone unconsciously drew closer, listening intently. Relishing in the retelling, Faust continued, "I walked into the house, searching for something interesting to placate you. So as I was walking around, I got the familiar feeling that I was being watched. I turned around and saw a little girl at the top of the staircase. She told me- Well, I'm not supposed to tell you what she told me, but anyway… I began to ascend the stairs, only to have those damned wires wrap around my arms and pull tight." He looked at his still bleeding arms and smiled. "Not exactly razor wire, but it did the trick."

"What trick?"

"Why, it let me die quickly as I hung from the roof, of course. It wouldn't have been very pleasant to have died slowly (but then again…). You would certainly have found me before I could- Well, it seems I have another secret to keep." Faust gave one of his high-pitched laughs, before smiling brightly.

"Why? Why so many secrets?"

"Yeah, what is it with this house?"

"Nothing, nothing, it's always _nothing_!" Faust sang, laughing so hard afterwards that had he been living, he would have coughed up blood. But he soon sobered up. "I'm lonely." Faust started to go a little transparent, especially around the edges. "Oh so very lonely." He began to fade more, increasingly faster now.

"Wait, Faust we need answers!"

He was gone, disappeared before their eyes.

"But what is there for it?" his disembodied voice swept through the room, chilling them to the bone. They knew nothing good would come from this.

"That guy…" Ren said, angrily, "You never could get a straight answer from him, even while he was alive! I bet we could learn more if we went to his body ourselves." With that, Ren ran off up the stairs, hoping to find a door or window to the roof. He flung wide the double doors at the top, stepping through boldly. He suddenly regretted leaving the rest of the group behind as those same doors slammed shut behind him. They locked and it was like the sound of his fate.

The others that were left behind began beating on the door in earnest, trying in vain to open it. They shouted his name but got no answer. Then, all at once the noises started.

"No!"

Then a sharp scream, long, drawn out, and moving through the house at an alarming rate. Interspaced during the scream were various crashes and bangs that they could follow along the house with their eyes. When the sounds reached the far end of the house, they all ran to the window to see Ren flung through the big upstairs bay window with an impressive shattering of glass. He was reaching out as if grabbing a shirt to catch his fall, but there was nothing there. His arms reaching out desperately to try and slow his descent, he stared up at the broken window. He realized that he would meet the ground at any instant, and twisted around to look, his eyes widening as he watched the instrument of his death rise up to meet him. He landed in a broken heap with the sickening wet crunch of a body rupturing.

He had reached in that first moment as if someone or something were there. There was nothing there… but it was unanimously agreed that there was nothing there _anymore_.


End file.
